Court directs checks on dark exam centres

To ensure that students appearing for their SSC or HSC examinations give their papers in properly-lit centres, a three-member committee will conduct checks on examination centres to check if they have a backup generator in case of a power cut.

To ensure that students appearing for their SSC or HSC examinations give their papers in properly-lit centres, a three-member committee will conduct checks on examination centres to check if they have a backup generator in case of a power cut.

The committee comprises the SSC chairman, education secretary and managing director of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company. The Bombay High Court on Friday directed the committee to conduct surprise checks. The court has stated that if examination centres do not follow the order, it will be treated as contempt of court and they will accordingly have to face the consequences.

The state education board has been directed to issue a circular to examination centres, stating that there must be generator backup at the time of power cuts.

The high court was hearing a contempt application filed by Vishnu Gawli, a Navi Mumbai-based social activist.

Last year, Gawli had written a letter to the high court, which was converted into a suo moto PIL, highlighting that lakhs of students were forced to take their examinations in the dark due to power cuts. The committee has also been asked to submit an action plan on how it proposes to ensure compliance of the HC order.

Deepa Chavan, advocate for the state education board, told the court that the board was not a party to the petition last year and hence there cannot be contempt of court against it.

Chavan told the court that the board has sent its representatives to 1,255 examination centres in the state in the last 15 days to gather information about adequate power backup. “Initial reports suggests that 463 centres are complying with the orders,” said Chavan.